THIS invention relates to a method of transmitting data between originating and destination stations in a multi-station communication network, to a communication network for implementing the method, and to communication apparatus for use in the network.
Communication networks are known which require one or more controlling nodes or base stations through which messages must be routed from originating to destination stations. Such networks are vulnerable to breakdown of the controller nodes or base stations. In addition, the controller nodes or base stations are relatively expensive, and remote stations in the network are restricted in their movement with respect to the base stations.
The connectivity between stations in such a network may change due to relative movement between remote stations and the base station, interference, noise and other factors. In a Rayleigh fading environment, the rate of fluctuation of signal strength, noise and interference changes the connectivity between stations in the network on an instantaneous basis, making any method of fixed routing or adaptive routing by the passing of routing information between stations almost impossible. Generally, in order to compensate for interference and fading, messages are transmitted redundantly and with sufficient power to ensure their reception, leading to sub-optimal utilisation of the network and to interference between stations. Sub-optimal utilisation of the network results in a reduction in the network capacity (Erlangs) for a given area and a given spectrum allocation.